24 January 2024
19 mins Read
Summer is coming in hot, and with that, the Aussie events calendar is set to overflow. With the warmer weather arriving and daylight savings well and truly kicking in, November is filling up fast with things to do.
From giant sculptures conjured from citrus fruit and festivals dedicated to a particular flower to a delicious dumpling affair and a variety of enthralling art exhibits, you’re truly spoilt for choice no matter what state you call home.
NSW | VIC | QLD | TAS | WA | SA | NT | ACT
Central Coast Music & Arts and the Central Coast Council will present Tubular for the first time this November. Across 10 days, over 34 artists, 18 events, 13 workshops and 12 venues will come together to bring an epic music and arts festival to this gorgeous NSW region.
The festival is categorised into micro-events, so you can plan what you want to do each day. From Fade Into You, a celebration of music, femininity and community, to Flotilla, a sunrising SUPing (stand-up paddleboarding) event in Ettalong Beach, there’s something to match all vibes.
Aussie electronic band Tijuana Cartel will perform live at Tubular.
What do you get when you combine music, art and wellness with chill, beachside vibes? Clearly Festival, clearly! This month, three stages of live music, amusement rides, food trucks, market stalls, workshops and wellness expos are coming to the town of Kiama on the NSW South Coast.
Enjoy performances from Aussie legends like Xavier Rudd, Skeggs, Ruby Fields, Gretta Ray and many other talented artists throughout the day. The next day, Clearly will host the Clearer Workshop, where a wide range of media industry experts will host panel discussions and marketing masterclasses.
Catch indie icon Ruby Fields on stage at Clearly Festival.
Spring means flowers, and nowhere knows this better than Grafton in NSW’s Clarence Valley. Each year, the town is painted purple thanks to countless blossoming jacaranda trees and the Jacaranda Festival is dedicated to honouring the beautiful blooms.
Experience Grafton like never before, as purple petals rain down across town. And this year, there’s plenty to see and do – from the Party in the Park and the Jacaranda Fun Run to purple ice cream and a jacaranda-themed float procession – there’s something for the whole family.
Wander market stalls as jacaranda flowers sprinkle down from trees. (Image: Simon Hughes)
The Griffith Spring Fest is yet another reason to visit rural NSW, this time, the stunning Riverina region. For two weeks, the town celebrates the contribution of migrants who settled in the region after the world wars, as well as Griffith’s thriving food and wine scene.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy the festival, but the main event is the amazing Citrus Sculpture Display. Over 60 monuments will be on display – from cars to castles, clocks to canines – made from more than 100,000 locally grown oranges and grapefruits.
Over 60 monuments built from citrus will be on display. (Image: Destination NSW)
Opening this month at the Australian Museum in Darlinghurst is Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs. Excitingly, it will exclusively feature the sarcophagus of Ramses II, one of the most impressive royal coffins from ancient Egypt ever to be discovered.
Sydney will be the second city ever, after Paris, to host the sarcophagus, which will be on loan from Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. There will also be over 180 priceless artefacts and ornate golden treasures featured in the exhibit, so it’s not one to miss.
Sydney will be the second city ever to host the sarcophagus of Ramses II. (Image: World Heritage Exhibitions)
Sizzle meets sensation at the Sydney Spiegeltent’s new summer show Rouge, an adults-only spectacle of new-age circus and cabaret. Dive deep into a decadent circus experience for the grown and daring, where the astonishing mingles with the audacious.
Before the show, enjoy a curated mix of cocktails, G&Ts and artisan beers under the festooned lights of the Spiegeltent, followed by an acrobatic extravaganza that will leave you breathless.
Rouge will leave you speechless. (Image: Alison Catseye Productions)
This month in Newcastle, coastal vibes meet electric energy at This That, one of many amazing festivals happening this summer across Australia.
This year’s line-up is sure to please, with Gang Of Youths, Porter Robinson and Peking Duk headlining, plus a bunch of other awesome artists. With on-trend eateries, a range of beverage servers and an exclusive VIP lounge and bar, just try and say no.
This month, the Entertainment Quarter will come alive with Latin American bands, street art installations, food stalls and lucha libre wrestling to celebrate the traditional Mexican festival Dia de los Muertos.
Expect authentic Mexican and Latin American food cooked up by talented chefs from Smoking Gringos, Carbon, “Tamale Queen” Rosa Cienfuegos and Baja Seafood. Entry is free to the two-day fiesta, so grab your closest amigos and celebrate Dia de los Muertos Down Under.
Smoking Gingos is known for its authentic birria tacos.
Cherry-picking season is back! Pack a picnic, take in the rolling hills of the scenic surrounds of rural Victoria and pick the biggest, sweetest cherries straight from the tree this summer.
CherryHill Orchards is once again welcoming visitors to its two orchards in the Yarra Ranges, Coldstream and Wandin East, for the annual Cherry-Picking Festival. There will also be special guests and events, including Cherries, Cheese and Chocolate in collaboration with Yarra Valley Dairy and Hanhdorf Fine Chocolates.
The cherry-picking festival will run from November to January.
Vino lovers, this one’s for you! Macedon Ranges winemakers will return this spring for the Budburst Wine Festival, which showcases the region’s cool-climate wines.
Budburst offers the perfect opportunity to meet the family-owned and small-batch makers that shape mainland Australia’s coolest wine region. Across the weekend, more than 25 Macedon Ranges winemakers will open their cellar doors for wine tastings along with curated food menus championing local produce.
Fan of wine? Then the Budburst Wine Festival is for you.
Looking for a truly Aussie experience? Head to Melbourne‘s iconic Queen Victoria Market for the Ultimate Aussie Tour this November. Gather family and friends and get ready to experience some of the best Aussie tucker on offer.
Once you’re chock-full of tasty food, a trip through the iconic open-air sheds is a must, where you’ll find locally made gifts. Polish the day off with one for the road at Brick Lane Brewery.
You’ll try a variety of food and beverages on your Ultimate Aussie Tour.
The Great Vic Bike Ride is Australia’s most iconic riding holiday. The nine-day rolling bike festival pedals to a new town each day, setting up camp each evening for entertainment and activities, including live music, comedy and yoga.
Featuring crowd favourites and hidden gems, the 2023 route takes you to the best of the Gippsland region. Think Buchan, Paynesville, Port Albert and Fish Creek. So, what are you waiting for? On your bike!
The ride will travel from Orbost to Wonthaggi. (Image: John Myers, Bicycle Network)
New to Birrarung Marr on the banks of the Yarra River this November is the Downtown Dumpling Market. Running across 18 nights, the event celebrates all things dumplings, which is a good enough excuse as any to attend.
There will also be delicious skewers, salads, bao and noodles that range from traditional to talked about. To top it all off, visit the dedicated sake bar for a sip to savour. Tickets are not required and entry is free… Shall we say more?
Get ready to devour dumplings this November. (Image: Helen Page Photography)
After a long and cold winter, what better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than the State Rose & Garden Show in the up-and-coming suburb of Werribee Park?
Now in its ninth year, this free event takes place over one colour-filled weekend. Visitors can expect over 5,000 rose bushes, with stunning manicured lawns playing host to garden exhibits, plant stalls, food trucks and live music.
Wander through hundreds of roses in full bloom.
The iconic and aptly named Vibes and Vino is returning to Barrack Reserve in Heathcote this month. This micro-festival is the perfect day out for friends and family, with live music, local wine, beer and spirits, food trucks, market stalls and children’s entertainment.
Attendees can expect vendors such as Domaine Asmara Vineyard & Distillery, Envy Distilling, Lost Watering Hole and Munari Wines, among others. Plus, you can bring along your furry friend!
Brisbane’s music scene is set to soar this month with the return of Valley Fiesta. The River City will host a huge line-up of artists, including headliners Mallrat, Mildlife and Hatchie, on various outdoor stages.
Smaller local acts curated by the team at Brisbane’s iconic Tivoli Theatre will also get the chance to take to the stage. Other unmissable fiesta experiences include the Hidden Lanes Bar Trail and The After Parties.
Boogie into the night with incredible acts at Valley Fiesta.
Now in its 11th year, the Airlie Beach Festival of Music has become one of Queensland’s premier live music events, crowned ‘People’s Choice’ Festival of the Year at the 2022 Queensland Music Awards.
With jaw-dropping sea views from the main tent at the Whitsunday Sailing Club, it’s a party like no other. Musicians like Ian Moss, Ross Wilson, King Stingray and Dragon are just a few of the incredible acts you can look forward to.
Opening at the Museum of Brisbane this November is Rearranged: Art of the Flower, an exhibition dedicated to the beautiful blooms of Brisbane.
Make your way through an old Queenslander-style house to admire a stunning collection of paintings, textiles, sculptures, ceramics and new media, from more than 20 established and emerging local artists. The exhibit runs until early August 2024.
Monica Rohan, Hoped You Wouldn’t Notice, 2017, oil on board.
The Sunshine Coast is hot, but it’s about to get a whole lot hotter. The Noosa Triathlon, or Noosa Tri as the locals call it, is one of the most popular events on the Australian sporting calendar, and it’s back for another year to challenge those who take up the task.
Anyone between the ages of 15 to 80+ can take on the race, which traverses Noosa‘s Main Beach, the town and even up into the hinterland. The festival village is also a hotspot for those who want to be involved but not necessarily participate in the triathlon.
The triathlon starts with a swim at Noosa Main Beach. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)
For the sixth year, Fridayz Live is bringing you 10 of the biggest household names in old-school and contemporary RNB and hip-hop. Grab your old-school vans and snapback hats and get ready for a throwback.
Jason Derulo, Boys II Men, Flo Rida, Kelly Rowland and Baby Bash will all taking the stage, so it’s time to party like it’s 2010. Fridayz Live will also be in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Sydney throughout November.
Macklemore, TLC and Akon are just a few of the RnB artists hitting Fridayz Live this year.
Join some of Tasmania‘s best sparkling winemakers for a weekend of celebrations at Effervescence Tasmania, hosted by Josef Chromy Wines in Launceston. The three-day event offers a jam-packed program that’s all about good music, great food and gorgeous wine.
Guests can indulge in the Grand Tasting, enjoy unique food experiences from Timbre Restaurant and Josef Chromy, dance the night away at Bubbles & Beats and reset and relax with Yoga in the Vines.
Taste your way around Tasmania’s top sparkling wines.
Tasmania’s thriving arts scene is set to assert its creative excellence once again as the biennial exhibition of Hobart Current. This year’s theme, Epoch, will be presented at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, plus in several public spaces across the state’s capital.
This year’s line-up will feature 10 local, national and international artists who work across a variety of mediums. You can expect to see visual art, performance, music, film, design and literature.
Artist Tricky Walsh will be showcasing her works at Hobart Current.
Presented by Wine South Australia, Spring in the Vines, unsurprisingly, will be spotlighting delicious wines from across the region this month. From the Huon Valley to the Tasman Peninsula and many vineyards in between, you’ll get the full experience of southern Tassie wines.
Over 40 of the best wine producers from across Southern Tasmania will be participating, opening their cellar doors to the public for tastings and other fun experiences. Along with the opportunity to meet growers and makers, you can also expect food, music and art.
The quaint, historic town of Deloraine will play host to the Tasmanian Craft Fair in November, as it has done since 1981. The art fair is known as the largest display, sale and working demonstration of all types of crafts in the Southern Hemisphere.
Over 240 exhibitors will participate this year, touting everything from hand-crafted ceramics and textiles to artworks, masterclasses and more.
Witness a variety of talented artists at work.
One of WA’s best beer festivals is back and better than ever, the Fremantle BeerFest. Enjoy a full weekend packed with over 500 world-class beers, ciders, artisan spirits, feature cocktails and premium wines, all complimented by gourmet street eats.
There will also be lots of live entertainment, from roving performers and acrobats to tribute bands and stand-up comedy shows. What’s more, head to The Cryer Malt Beer Garden for a range of mouth-watering masterclasses and matching sessions.
Freo Beerfest is back and better than ever this November.
The Matilda’s Australian national soccer team are set to take on the Chinese Taipei national team, unofficially known as the Blue Magpies, at Optus Stadium in Perth. The match is one of five games the team will compete in for the 2024 Olympic Qualifiers.
Our starting 11 is yet to be announced, but superstar striker Sam Kerr will surely make an appearance. With such huge success following the 2023 Women’s World Cup, tickets are being sold fast, so get in before it’s too late.
The Tillies will take on Taipei at Optus Stadium. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)
The Perth International Jazz Festival will be presenting an array of exciting performances in the Perth Cultural Precinct, Hyde Park and other venues across the city this month.
This year’s program ranges from free to ticketed events, making it accessible to the whole community. Witness Cécile McLorin Salvant perform her one-night-only show or opt for the more laidback Jazz in the Courtyard. Whatever you choose, you’re sure to enjoy.
Head to the Museum of the Goldfields to witness Beyond the Milky Way, a 360° VR film all about the SKA telescope that will call Kalgoorlie home, narrated by physicist Professor Brian Cox.
SKA will be responsible for capturing remote corners of the Universe and breaking new ground in the world of astronomical research. Beyond The Milky Way gives guests access to an immersive view of the telescope, which will be the world’s largest radio telescope upon its completion in 2028.
The Museum of the Goldfields is in Kalgoorlie. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)
Contemporary art festival Fremantle Biennale is returning in 2023, with an eclectic program titled SIGNALS 23. The exciting line-up is set to take over the port city for 16 nights, with major experiential installations and performances.
Over 70 artworks and events will fill the streets, buildings and waterways of Fremantle, with more than 80 Australian and international artists, performers and musicians featured. Events range from dockside dance performances and strobe-lit warehouse installations to spectacular drone shows across to Rottnest Island.
Over 70 fascinating artworks and events will befall Fremantle.
Adelaide Festival Centre’s OzAsia Festival is Australia’s leading contemporary arts festival engaging with Asia. The festival is a showcase of the best theatre, dance, music, visual arts, literature, film and food from both Asia and Australia.
This year’s program is full of unmissable ticketed and free shows and events across Adelaide. From panel discussions and visual art displays to family-focused events, this is one to enjoy with the whole pack.
There’s something for everyone at the OzAsia Festival.
Imagine this – you’re on a picnic blanket in the shade of gum trees, wine in hand, good music travelling along a hot summer breeze. Sound like a dream? Well it’s not, it’s Handpicked festival.
Surrounded by the vineyards of Lake Breeze Wines, enjoy live shows from Ball Park Music, Budjerah, The Waifs, Ziggy Alberts and more. Kick back with good wine, grab a snack from the food trucks, wander The Lane markets or enter The Cocktail Forest. All under SA’s summer sun.
Pizza, pasta, polenta, oh my! The fourth Adelaide Italian Festival invites you to immerse yourself in authentic Italian culture this month. Experience world-class Italian food and wine, art, fashion, culture, music and traditions right in the heart of Adelaide.
This year’s program features a range of different events, from regional dinners to cooking classes. All in all, those in attendance can choose from over 70 events – mama mia!
The streets of Adelaide transform into an Italian fiesta. (Image: Futuro Avenue)
What better way to spend a Sunday than in the Barossa Valley, sipping on delicious wine and sampling locally sourced food, all while local artists strum their guitars and sing sweet melodies? Well, ALIVE at Château Tanunda is inviting you to do just that this November.
Step into a sunken garden at one of the Barossa Valley’s best wineries for a Sunday to remember. The family-friendly event gives guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in the beauty of the Château, a heritage site in the Barossa, for only $10 per person.
Spend the afternoon in sunken garden of the Château.
Kakadu Kitchen’s Ben Tyler and Cooinda Lodge executive chef Phil Foote are teaming up to offer the best of Kakadu bush food and local Bininj culture at the Kakadu Full Moon Feast.
You’re invited to immerse yourself in one of the oldest living Indigenous cultures in the world in the heart of Kakadu National Park. Feast on local bush tucker foraged on Country while learning about the local Murumburr culture, stories and history.
Dine under the stars in the heart of the Kakadu National Park.
This curious tropical plant comes in hundreds of shapes and sizes, and the Northern Territory Caladium Festival in Darwin celebrates them all. The particularly intriguing-looking plant is native to South America and comes in shades of green, white, red and an especially vibrant pink.
And this isn’t just your average plant festival. Check out the fierce entries in the Caladium growing competition or peruse the market stalls, where you can take home themed products like jewellery, art and pots.
Caladiums come in a gorgeous variety of colours, shapes and sizes.
If you’re a fan of getting dressed up, playing esports, trading cards, digital art, virtual reality, collectibles and games, TROPiCON is for you.
Hosted by the not-for-profit Greek Culture Collective, this pop culture event is all about expressing yourself and meeting like-minded people. From awesome competitions to epic photo opportunities, head to the Darwin Entertainment Centre this month for TROPiCON fun.
Don’t cry over Spilt Milk… Unless you miss out on tickets to this fan-fav festival. Spilt Milk is back for another year of music, art and food, all for your entertainment. After downing a hectic feed, check out three epic art installations before ending the night dancing to an all-star ensemble.
This year, Spilt Milk is bringing along a giant line-up of international and local heavy hitters. Think Post Malone, Dom Dolla, Aitch, Cub Sport, Lime Cordiale and Peach PRC, among a long list of other talents. Other cities hosting the festival include the Gold Coast, Ballarat and Perth.
Spilt Milk is one of Australia’s best music festivals. (Image: Jordan Munns)
Held in the Stromlo Forest Park in Canberra, the Stromlo Running Festival was created back in 2009 by Australia’s marathon great, Robert De Castella, 28 Sporting Innovations and the YMCA of Canberra Runners Club. Now in its 24th year, the running event is known as one of Australia’s best, in one of the ACT’s most beautiful parks.
Everyone is encouraged to participate, with races ranging from five, 10 and 15 kilometres to 30 and 50 kilometres, plus kid-centric races too. For the first time ever, there will also be the SRF Expo, with a dynamic DJ and marathon legend Rob de Castella as MC.
Stromlo Forest Park is only 15 minutes from the city centre. (Image: VisitCanberra)
SpringOUT is a month-long celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community that calls the country’s capital home. The only festival of its kind in Canberra, SpringOUT rivals any pride event across the country, with thousands of people turning up to celebrate.
From the Madonna 40: A Celebration Exhibition to the Queer Elders Speak Tales From The Lesbian Sisterhood discussion panel, there’s so much to look forward to this year. Guests can also get dolled up for The Silver Tea Room Ball, dance the night away at the Madonna Dance Party and sweat it out at Zumba With Pride. Whatever you choose, it’s time to celebrate!
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